"Praising God in Prayer"

The subject of praise to the Most High is so much more than we can imagine. To “praise” God, literally means to say “good words” about God. And in response to our “praise” God pours out His favor on us. The “good words or praise” we say to God actually calls down His favor on us. It’s like when you say something nice about someone and it causes a smile to spread on their face. Their smile is their favor given back to you. 

I’m not talking about a patronizing, drippy sweet, cotton-candy-fluff type of praise. Our praise comes directly from having a right relationship with God. We know God through Jesus and we want to express our knowledge about Him. We are expressing the truth about our loving Father through our words. This lesson will help direct us to a deeper understanding of praising God. Let’s dig in.

Turn to Revelation 5:9-12. Who is surrounding the throne of God?

What are the words to their song? (Verse 12)

The vision John experienced describes the actual throne room of God. As wondrous as these words are, they will pale in comparison to what we will experience when we are in our glorified bodies, with Him eternally. However, through our receiving of Christ’s Holy Spirit, we are able to enter into the throne room now and experience true praise. Christ is worthy of our praise, He is worthy because God has bestowed upon Him power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.

Let’s look at the aspects of the Christ, the focus of our praise:

Power ~ Wealth ~ Wisdom ~ Strength ~ Honor ~ Glory ~ Praise

1. Power

The power that Christ received is the authority given to Him by God. This power encompasses all that is in heaven and earth and under the earth. He has been given the right to exercise this power of God by God. This power is absolute and unrestricted.

Read Ephesians 1:17-23. What did Paul pray for the Holy Spirit to give the believers in Ephesus? (Verse 17)

He also prayed for the eyes of their hearts to be enlightened. What reason did he give for this?

Describe this power. (Verse 19)

How is this power used?

Christ received the power of the Almighty One. This is important and impressive. You and I have been given the privilege of this powerful insight into the mysteries of God. This revealed truth was hidden from mankind until Christ came to earth and gave His life for you and me. It is revealed to those who choose Him as their Lord, the Forgiver of their lives. 

This excites me so much. We, those who love and trust Jesus, are privy to this great mystery of God because it has been displayed in Christ’s death, resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of God. Because He sits in authority and power in the throne room of God which we are priveledged to enter into it freely.

Jesus stands before God in the believer’s defense. He is our advocate before the Father. This power that has been given to Him by God is the power able to raise those who believe in Him from death to eternal life. Hallelujah! God has seated Jesus at His right hand, a position of power and full authority and that power is used to defend, heal and strengthen those He loves. Now that’s a reason to praise Him!

Praise Him for His position and authority 

at the right hand of God.

2. Wealth

The wealth of God through Christ is His abundance of all that is praiseworthy.  Another way to define wealth is “having abundance.”  Often in Scripture the word abundance is used in place of wealth. Let’s look at two areas of abundance in Christ: 

Abundant Grace 

Read Romans 5:17. When we receive God’s grace and the gift of righteousness (a right relationship with God), through whom will we reign in life?

An exceeding measure of God’s grace is ours through Christ Jesus. Grace is God’s favorable regard toward us because of Christ. Through God’s abundant grace, a gift we do not deserve, we reign in this life through Christ Jesus. In other words, we are victorious over sin and death when we accept Jesus as our Lord. Without Him there is no abundance of grace, there is only death. 

Abundant Joy

Read Philippians 4:4-7. What are we to do at all times ?

In verses 5-7 we see the evidences of joy. Can you find them? 

(Verse 5)

(Verse 6)

(Verse 7)

An exceeding amount of God’s joy is ours through Christ Jesus. Joy is our delight in Him and is part of His grace. God delights in His Son and His Son delights in His Father. The Holy Spirit pours this delight into those who love Him. He gives us joy. Through God’s abundant joy from our fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, we rejoice in Him. 

Praise Him for the wealth of grace and joy

 and all that is ours because of Jesus.

3. Wisdom 

The wisdom of Christ is the infinite and perfect comprehension of all that is or might be.

Read Colossians 2:2 & 3. What does Paul state we are to do? (Verse 2a) 

Why? (Verse 2b)

What is hidden in Christ? (Verse 3)

Through Christ and our receiving of Him as the Leader and Forgiver of our lives, we can understand the mystery of God. “Jesus is the infinite and perfect comprehension of all that is or might be.” Every believer has access to the complete wisdom found in Christ Jesus. When we enter the throne room of God, we are filled and surrounded by the Holy Presence of the Triune God ~ God the Father ~ God the Son ~God the Holy Spirit. His wisdom, infinite and perfect, is ours because we are His. 

Praise Him for His infinite wisdom.

4. Strength

Christ is endowed with spiritual, physical and mental power like none other. He is our knight in shining armor who frees us from the chains of sin. The evil one is no match for the strength of the Holy One of God.

Throughout the Psalms David wrote about the strength of God. Look up the following verses and describe how God’s strength is displayed:

Psalm 18:1 & 2

Psalm 29:11

Psalm 118:13 & 14

The Lord is strong! His strength is infinitely more than what we consider strong to mean in human terms. When we have reached our limit we fail. There is no limit to His strength. He never gets tired. Jesus pulls us from any edge that we are about to fall from. He strengthens those who belong to Him. He provides a place of refuge because He is the Solid Rock, a Mighty Fortress and Deliverer. Jesus is our Strength and Shield and we are filled with His joy. 

Praise Him for His unmatched strength.

5. Honor

Christ’s value is unfathomable. What He has done for us, by providing a way out of our death sentence, is priceless. The weight lifted from those who believe is beyond measure. Christ is honored by God and we are to honor Him in our praise.

Read Hebrews 2:5-9. Focus on verses 7-9. Who is the author speaking of when he writes, “You made Him a little lower that the angels.”?

What do you think that means?

What did God do for Him?

What does that entail?

According to verse 8b, everything is not yet subject to Him. This may sound contradictory in human terms, but sounds right to a believer’s ear. How do we see Jesus as believers?

Would you get off a throne and take off your royal robes to put on the rags of this world? Jesus did just that. He came to this world, lowering Himself to human form and overcoming the darkness of sin and death. He tasted death for us and made a way for us to receive a right relationship with God that is eternal. Jesus sits at the right hand of God and is honored by Him with the highest of honor as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

Honor Jesus with your praise.

6. Glory

The glory of God shines forth in Christ. It has been shown in His mighty acts on this earth for everyone. His everlasting power and divinity are His glory. His creations ~ mankind, animals, nature and the universe reveal His glory. God’s glory is manifested in the perfect character of Christ. He displays the aspects and ways of the Lord God by bringing glory to His Name.

Read John 1:14. (NIV) Fill in the blanks. “The ____________ became ___________ and made His __________________ among us. We have ___________ His _______________, the glory of the ___________ and ______________, who _____________ from the Father, full of _____________ and ________________.”

Christ’s glory has been displayed for all to see. He is the One and Only. He is the embodiment of God’s glory. Jesus is one of a kind, precious and loved by the Father. Their relationship is unique and their love for each other spills over onto us by the Holy Spirit. All glory is due to Christ Jesus. 

Recognize the glory of Jesus, the One and Only.

7. Praise

We will conclude this lesson with the praise that is due His Name. To praise Jesus, means to “speak words that exalt and honor Him.” We exclaim the qualities of the Holy One. He alone is worthy of praise.

Read Psalm 103:1. (NIV) Fill in the blanks: “Praise the Lord, O my _____________. All my ________________ being praise His Holy Name.”

The Hebrew word for “soul” is “nepes” and means “life or self.” This part of us has physical cravings and desires. It is the decision-making part of us. It is the rational part of us. We must praise God with this part of who we are. When we praise Him, we decide that He is God.

The Hebrew word for “inmost being” is “qereb” which means “the heart or the mind; seat of thought and desire; a person’s total being.” This part of us houses our spiritual desires. It longs for the Spirit of God Himself. So often a person’s “qereb” is buried so deeply that the hard crust of life obscures the longing created within their spirits.

Once we have decided with our “soul”(mind) to turn over our physical desires to be filled by God, the layers of debris from sins supernaturally, by the power of the Holy Spirit, slough off and fall away enabling our “inmost being” (spirit) to commune with God our Creator.

Let’s decide with all that we are to praise our God. Our praise is essential to our prayer life.

Prayer Time

Have you decided with your “soul” (your mind) to praise Him? Has your “inmost being” (your spirit) communed with Him, resulting in your praise?  Go to your Prayer Journal and take this time to praise God for:

• Christ Power (absolute and unrestricted)

• Christ’s Wealth (abundant in grace and joy) 

• Christ’s Wisdom (infinite and perfect) 

• Christ’s Strength (power unequaled)

• Christ’s Honor (due to Him for His victory over sin and death)

• Christ’s Glory (shown in His mighty acts for us) 

Discussion Questions

The subject of praise to the Most High is so much more than we can imagine. What does it mean to praise the Lord? How do we go about praising Jesus? Name ways that you have praised Him.

Through our receiving of Christ’s Holy Spirit, we are able to enter into the throne room and experience true praise. When you pray how do you visualize God’s throne room?

What are seven aspects of Christ, the focus of our praise? Discuss what each one represents.